How to Create Breakthrough Ideas: 15 Techniques That Work

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker has collected the best ways to generate ideas that you can use as a team or on your own.

Creative techniques will help to comprehensively study the problem, speed up the idea generation process, find many solutions and remove psychological blocks.

1. Brainstorming

What

Brainstorming, or brainstorming, is a well-known creative technique for finding ideas in a team. The technique allows you to consider any problem from different angles.

How

• Assemble a team of 5-10 people.
• Formulate the problem.
• Set aside 10-15 minutes for each team member to think and write down their thoughts.
• Each participant shares their ideas, and the facilitator writes them down on the board.
• The group can give positive feedback after the author has finished speaking.
• Vote for the best idea.

Important

Encourage absurd ideas and don't criticize other people's suggestions. Don't go into details to save time and effort. The main thing is not the quality of ideas, but their quantity.

2. Reverse brainstorming

What

The essence of the technique is the search for flaws and the improvement of the object under consideration. The method was invented by General Electric and is suitable for solving specific problems in various fields.

How

• Assemble a team of 5-10 people.
• Formulate the problem.
• Give each participant 10-15 minutes to find or think of all possible flaws in the described object.
• Each participant should share their ideas.
• The facilitator writes down ideas on the board.
• The group can give feedback after the author finishes the performance.
• After everyone has had their say, discuss how to brainstorm how to address the deficiencies.

Important

Encourage any criticism, even if it will be painfully perceived by others.

3. Matrix of opportunities

What

This technique is also known as Fritz Zwicky's morphological analysis method. Its essence is to come up with as many solutions as possible for individual parts of the problem and combine them in a random way.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Draw a 5 by 10 table.
• The first row of cells is "Characteristic". Write down the main parameters of the task here.
• Come up with a property for each parameter and write it down in the remaining rows. Choose absurd ideas over standard ones.
• Arrange individual cells in columns and evaluate how the result corresponds to the task at hand.
• Write down the ideas you like.

Below is a matrix of possibilities for milk carton design.

Feature / property	1	2	3	4	5
Format	Udder mug	Stretched bottle	Iron can, 0.33 l	Triangular package	Glove
Material	Craft paper	Bubble wrap	Strained glass	Leather / suede	Clay
Main image	A man drinks from the same bowl with a cat	Cows and goats sunbathe on the beach	The sun drinks milk	Children leave town for village	Milkmaid becomes president

Important

The most important thing is to choose the most essential parameters and turn off the internal critic at the stage of filling the table. This way you can come up with as many incredible variations as possible.

4. Coup

What

The technique was invented by creative thinking expert Edward de Bono. The bottom line is to come up with all possible solutions to the problem, write them down and edit them so that they begin to mean exactly the opposite.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Write down everything that comes to your mind when you think about solving it. These can be thoughts about the formulation of a problem, known methods of solution, the connection of this problem with another - whatever.
• Edit your thoughts so that they change the meaning to the opposite. Replace words with antonyms, change the order of words, play with the "not" particle.
• Consider each "flipped" assumption and ask yourself under what conditions it might be a possible solution to the problem.
• Write down the ideas that come up.
• Pick the best ones and tweak them as needed.

Important

If the mountain does not go to Magomed, Magomed goes to the mountain. This adage is a classic example of this method.

5. Kipling's method

What

The method is based on the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling. The bottom line is to analyze the problem and develop ideas using the questions "what?", "Where?", "When?", "How?", "Why?" and who?". The method is suitable for working with specific tasks in a team and independently.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Ask your subject six basic questions: "what?", "Where?", "When?", "How?", "Why?" and who?".

• After answering, go to additional. This will help to take a comprehensive look at the problem.

  • How many?
  • Why not?
  • How long does it take?
  • In which place?
  • Who can handle this?
  • Where else?
  • What is the problem?
  • Where is this happening?
  • When does this happen?
  • Why is this happening?
  • How can these difficulties be overcome?
  • Whom do you need to attract?
  • How do I know the problem has been resolved?

Write down answers and new questions as you go through the creative session

Important

The method requires critical thinking and specific answers. Don't go into details to save time and effort.

6. Insight method

What

This is a well-known and accessible method used by the artist Salvador Dali, the thinker René Descartes and many other greats. The technique allows you to work with your subconscious and catch ideas that you yourself did not know existed. The bottom line is to record the content of dreams and use this information to solve problems. You can also use the ideas that came to you during long-term meditation.

How

• Take a notebook or notebook and place it next to the bed along with a pen. This will be your dream diary.
• Before going to bed, formulate the problem you want to solve.
• In the morning, in the first five minutes after waking up, write down everything that you dreamed. Don't analyze what is written.
• To help yourself, try answering the following questions:

1. • What people, things, places, events have I dreamed of?
   • What are the most vivid dream images that I remember?
   • What associations do I have?
   • What feeling did I experience while dreaming?
   • What connections do I see between my task and the content of the dream?

Important

The first time, you may not see the connection between sleep and task. To remember more dreams, get into the habit of getting up without an alarm. Often, brilliant ideas do not come to mind in a dream, but when we fall asleep. If this happens to you, be sure to reach for your notebook and write down the thought.

7. Associative search method

What

The method is suitable for creating ideas from scratch. For example, for video or animation development. The bottom line is to find as many associations as possible to the object in question and draw a connection between the concepts.

How

• Prepare a dozen random words. You can use stories, tweets or images.
• Assemble a team and formulate a problem.
• A minute is given for each prepared word. During this time, the team must give a number of associations.
• Try to think big, make ridiculous associations.
• Write each association on the chalkboard.
• Continue until you have come up with associations for all words or have typed enough to solve the problem.
• Use the information received for the intended purpose.

Important

Say the first thing that comes to mind. If you're stumped, just change the word. It is better to use words that are not directly related to the problem itself.

8. Bisociation

What

This technique is the opposite of the previous one: you have to look not for associations, but, on the contrary, combine ideas that are not related to each other. You will need to map the task to an already known process from a completely different area. The technique was described by the writer and journalist Arthur Koestler.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Draw a table with two columns. Record several processes on the left that are not related to the task. In the right column, write down the processes related to the task.
• Find parallels between the processes in the columns. Consider how you can use these mappings to solve a problem.
• Capture emerging ideas.
• After the break, pick the best ones and tweak them if necessary.

This is how your table should look like if you want to present a painting to a friend, but don't know what to draw.

Not relevant to the task	Relate to the task
Bear hunt	Select materials
Dry cleaning of a duvet	Choose colors
Paint the fence	To draw a picture
Make oatmeal	Come up with a plot
Wash yourself with spring water	Donate a painting
Fill up with gasoline	Write congratulations
Write a complaint	Pack the gift

Important

Success depends on the ability to consider processes in an abstract manner. By breaking the patterns of thinking, you will find connections between unrelated concepts.

9. Random stimulus

What

This technique is reminiscent of fortune telling on coffee grounds. It was used by our ancestors and modern fortune tellers to interpret signs. The challenge is to discern the connection between two competing themes.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Choose any word and write it next to the problem. This will be your incentive.
• To help yourself, write down the characteristics and associations associated with the stimulus under the stimulus.
• Set a timer for 3-5 minutes.
• Keeping the task and the incentive in mind, try to find a connection between them.
• Capture emerging ideas. Don't go into details. You need to sketch as many solutions as possible.
• After the break, pick the most promising ideas. Modify if required.

Important

If you can't find a connection the first time, don't worry. Better choose another technique. You cannot change the selected stimulus. The method can be complicated by adding three more randomly selected stimuli.

10. Catena

What

Catena is a word game that involves linking two words into a chain (catena) using word associations. Your task is to write down the strings of words on paper and refine the ideas that have emerged.

How

• Formulate the problem and write it down.
• Highlight 2-3 key words in the problem statement.
• Write them down on paper so that they stand apart from each other. You have to write chains of words between them.

• Decide on the rules.

  • What words can you think of: nouns, adjectives, verbs?
  • What forms of connections are allowed between words: by context or by analogy? The contextual connection arises from typical life situations associated with the word. For example, shampoo is a shower. A connection by analogy arises as a common thing when two words are juxtaposed. For example, the wind is whistling, the cloud is cotton wool.
• Build 2-3 chains of associations between keywords.
• Use strings of words as stimuli for finding ideas.
• Record the ideas that have arisen.
• After the break, pick the best ideas and refine them.

Important

The technique is suitable for pumping the imagination and removing mental blocks. The strictness of adherence to the rules does not play a special role.

11. Phil

What

The name of the technique comes from the Greek word "fila" - a part of a tribe descended from one ancestor. The essence of the technique is to seek advice from real or fictional people who have had a positive influence on you.

How

To use this technique, start by putting together a fila - a group of counselors who will help you.

• Think and choose 3-5 people who have influenced you the most. These can be loved ones, acquaintances or idols.
• Compile a dossier for each member of the fila. Collect in one place their photographs, biographies, works, letters, quotes - everything that seems interesting and important.

Having compiled the fila, proceed to the solution of the problem.

• Formulate the problem.
• Select an advisor from the phyla.
• Choose a tip at random from the collected dossier. It could be a keyword or a quote.
• Build connections between the board and the task.
• Ask yourself how your advisor would solve this problem, what would answer the question. Alternatively, imagine that you have arranged a meeting with an advisor, and try to hear his answer.
• Write down ideas that arise.
• Move on to the next tip or choose a different advisor until you have enough ideas.
• After a break, select promising ideas and create solutions based on them.

Important

You can devote more than one month to compiling a dossier for each participant in the fila. The more information you find on each advisor, the easier it will be for you to solve problems.

12. The method of quota of ideas

What

The technique will allow you to be in a state of generating ideas all the time. Your task is to set yourself a limit on the number of ideas that you come up with daily.

How

• State the problem, goal, or objective.
• Decide how many ideas you are willing to come up with each day. Take the bar higher: 10-20 ideas to start.
• Stick to the established quota daily. Set yourself a reminder if needed.
• Ideas related to one topic are best written in one place.
• Review your ideas periodically, choose the best ones, refine them.
• You can use any technique to generate ideas.

Important

Don't criticize yourself for bad ideas or cross them out. Work on multiple problems at the same time.

13. Edward de Bono's six hats technique

What

This role-playing technique was invented by creative thinking expert Edward de Bono. Your task is to look at the problem from six points of view.

How

• Assemble a team of six.
• Formulate the problem.
• Give each team member an item (hat) of the same color: red, yellow, black, green, white and blue. Each color represents a role.
• Participants consider the problem according to their assigned role.
• Ideas are freely expressed, like during a brainstorming session, and are recorded on the board.

The table will show which roles each hat corresponds to.

Hat color	Role
Red hat	Responsible for emotions, premonitions, intuition
Yellow hat	Describes the benefits and benefits
Black hat	Takes into account shortcomings and possible risks
Green hat	Generates ideas
White hat	Voices facts and figures
Blue hat	Host, supervises the change of hats

Important

Success depends on how well each participant can use different kinds of thinking to solve a problem. The facilitator should remind the participants of their roles and not allow other people's roles to be tried on before the due time. The session ends when each participant has tried on all six hats.

14. Freewriting

What

This technique was first described by English professor Peter Elbow. The bottom line is to turn off the inner critic and gain access to hidden ideas and knowledge through improvisation in writing.

How

• Grab a pen and some blank sheets of paper, or open a new text file on your computer.
• Set a timer for 20 minutes. Turn off all notifications.
• Write whatever comes to mind until time runs out. Do not be distructed.
• Do not cross out or correct anything. Stay in the flow.
• When you are finished, put aside the text.
• After a good break, read it aloud.
• Mark the fragments that can be used in further work.
• Write down ideas that came up while parsing the text.

Important

Do not try to immediately benefit from what is written. The first sessions are aimed more at relieving stress and internal blocks than at solving specific problems. If you have nothing to write about, write about your surroundings. Gradually, associations will begin to form in your head, and things will go smoothly.

15. Method of restrictions

What

The method was formulated by Professor Stephen M. Kosslin. Your task is to understand what may prevent you from solving the problem, and rethink its wording in order to come to the correct solution.

How

• Formulate the problem.
• Come up with constraints that prevent you from completing the task. Write them down.
• Find three ways you can use each constraint.
• Find three ways to work around each limitation.
• Find three ways to change each constraint.
• Consider how the task is transformed if each constraint is removed and changed.
• Find more restrictions.
• Repeat constraint search and task transformation several times.
• Compare the source and destination.

Important

If your task has no limits, come up with them. Limit the task to the future and the past, top and bottom.